Georgia Tech will be go bowling in Jacksonville, Fla. With a strong finish that included road wins over then-No. 14 Virginia Tech and archrival Georgia in their final three games, the Yellow Jackets played their way into the TaxSlayer Bowl, one of the ACC’s four “Tier One” bowls and arguably the most prestigious of the four.
The announcement was made Sunday by the ACC. TaxSlayer Bowl president Rick Catlett said Thursday that Tech and Miami were at the top of its list , citing the Jackets' closing run and Jacksonville's relative proximity to Atlanta as reasons for its preference for Tech. When the Russell Athletic Bowl, selecting ahead of the Tier One bowls, went with Miami, TaxSlayer officials had their choice made for them.
Tech will play Kentucky in the Dec. 31 game at EverBank Field, home to the Jacksonville Jaguars and, since 1946, the Gator Bowl. The game has been known as the TaxSlayer Bowl since 2014.
Kentucky finished 7-5, most notably beating then-No. 11 Louisville on the road in its season-ending rivalry game. It’s the Wildcats’ first bowl since the 2010 season.
Tech has considerable history at the Gator/TaxSlayer Bowl. This will be the Jackets' seventh trip and first since 2006. The Jackets last played Kentucky in 1960. The Tech ticket office is selling tickets at $85 for lower-level tickets and $125 for club-level seats. They can be purchased through the Tech website.
